think themselues bound in conscience to make this free and voluntarie offer vnto their Calumniators the very propounding whereof is sufficient to all honest and iust mindes that do not willfully shut their eyes against the truth to cleere and free them from all the aforesaid slanderous imputations 4. The Christian and mercifull disposition and inclination of the Lower house of Parliament and of sundry of the Nobles of the Higher house who in a holy Commiseration of the Ministers distressed estates and in a certaine knowledge both of their honest liues and conversations and of the good they haue done in their Ministeries and of their peaceable and duetifull behaviour to all in authoritie haue been earnest and zealous suppliants for them hath been shamefully traduced by the Prelats as though only through the incouragements hopes reposed in them and for this cause specially that they might not be discredited and disgraced in their indeavours and intendments for Reformation the Ministers did stand forth Whereas by these presents all the world shall know and understand that the cause for which the Ministers doe suffer is such as all due thankfullnes and service reserved to the Honorable and Christian indeavour of the Parliament though God should which we hope he will never permitt so far forsake that High and Honorable Court as in steed of being suppliants for the poore Ministers they should joyne with the Prelats in making the most rigorous lawes against them that might be even to bloud yet the Ministers by Gods good grace stand resolved to hold and maintaine their said profession In witnes whereof they publish to the view of all men this offer as a testimony of their confident resolution in the said cause for which they suffer 5. There is such indifferencie in this offer and it standeth upon so just equall grounds that it ought not to be refused of any Christians no though made by Iewes Turks Arrians Papists or any other Heretiks whatsoever Much lesse when it is made by Ministers constantly professing shewing themselues willing and readie to submit themselues in all things to the written word of God and who in all matters except in these Controversies of Religion wherein yet they agree with most of the Churches that haue made a separation from Rome are as obedient to the present State and as unblameable in life and conversation as any other of his Majesties subjects 6. Divers of the aforesaid Propositions are such as that if the Ministers should not constantly holde maintayne the same against all men they cannot see how possiblie by the rules of Divinitie the seperatioÌ„ of our Churches from the Church of Rome and from the Pope the supreme head thereof can be justified And therefore for asmuch as in these controversies the Papists and the Prelats goe hand in hand the said Ministers doe in like forme and maner make the like Offer to the Priests and Iesuits promising their reconcilement unto that Sea if they can either by Arguments pull them from the foresaid Propositions or can answer such Arguments as they shall propound in the defence of them in maner and forme before specified in the Offer And therefore it both standes the Ministers upon to make the aforesaid Offer and the Prelats except they will haue all the world to judge them to be frends in heart to Popery to accept of the same 7. The Doctors of Oxford in their answer to the Petition of the 1000. Ministers and G. Powell in his last booke undertake the answer of whatsoever can be objected in these causes â—ook pref â—…g 25.26 and M. Hooker in his Preface before his first booke of Politiks propoundeth unto the Ministers that seeke Reformation the very like Offer and forme of disputation Which bookes were published with the special approbation of the Prelats Wherefore the Ministers having been in such a maner chalenged they can doe no lesse then make this offer which cannot be refused of the Prelats but they will be judged of all the world to offer that which they will not performe 8. The Bishop of Rochester with the consent and by the direction no doubt of some of the chiefest Prelats hath now lately published his Sermon preached in September last before the King at Hampton Court the maine drift wherof is to proue that the office calling of Dioce san Bishops in present coÌ„troversie is a Divine Apostoli call OrdinaÌ„ce Besids in his epistle to the Ministers of Scotland prefixed before the sayd Sermon he professeth that if there shall an answer be made therunto with modestie and learning nothing shall be more welcome And that to avouch make it good that the said Episcopall calling is unlawfull were a labor worthy the travell and of the Prelats much desired Wherfore seeing the Prelats themselues do offer to bring this cause to a publike triall it coÌ„cerneth us in England also no less then our brethren in Scotland seeing by this course order heere layd downe this question amongst the rest will come to be far more exactly tryed then by any other way hitherto thought on the Ministers haue just cause to tender this Conference nothing doubting but that the Prelats will willingly accept it especially seeing they seeme so much to desire it and in all reason it is like to put an end to all these controversies which haue so long troubled the peace and quiet of our Churches 9. Since the Ministers late troubles there haue been many bookes published in Print against them contayning many shamefull untruthes and abuses wherin great violence wrong hath been offered to Gods truth many grosse and Popish errors haue been divulged and many impostures used onely to deceaue the simple and to blind their eyes that they may not see the truth of the Ministers cause which the Ministers take themselues bound in conscience to answer But being not able partly by reason of their povertie partly by want of meanes of Printing partly for other difficulties to publish so soone as is requisit so many answers except they might haue leaue from authoritie unto so many great bookes as many of them are They haue judged it meet in the meane time to make this Offer wherein if they prevaile gaine the cause they make no question but they shall haue all other particularities yeelded and shall saue that other labor 10. They haue warrant thus far from his Majestie both in his booke called Basilicon doron where he willeth them to presse by patience and well grounded reasons to perswade other men to like of their iudgments and by the Proclamation of Iuly 16. 1604 In which the Prelats are required to doe their uttermost indeavour by perswasions Conference Arguments and all other wayes of gentlenes and loue to reclaime the Ministers which being as yet not done by them can not be performed by a more direct and indifferent course then by accepting such an Offer as this is 11. By direction from
our CoÌ„sciences as being perswaded in our very soules that we cannot yeeld unto them without sinning against Christ Iesus whose Ministers and Messengers we are And if upon such a due Triall of our cause as is desired the truth of the ensuing Propositions which are the speciall groundes on which we stand shal be infringed by the Prelates nay if we shall not be able to make them so cleere and manifest by the infallible undeniable evidence of the holy word of God that who so doth not wilfully hoodwinke himselfe may plainely see and discerne the truth of them we doe heere promise and binde our selues in the word of Christians that we will presently change our mindes and become wholly Conformable to the present State Wherefore we being herein privy to our owne uprightnes both to God to our Soveraigne cannot but conceiue some hope notwithstanding all the contrary plottes and practises of the Prelates that your Maiestie who are even as an Angell of God to discerne betweene good and evill wil be pleased now at last both to take a more exact knowledge of our cause and out of the tender bowells of your compassion to thinke upon and pity the distressed estate not onely of us the Lordes poore servants who are without any iust cause cast out from serving at his Altar but also of the Churches of Christ in this land which doe mourne and grone under the burden of humane Traditions Oh that this should be told at Gath or published in the streetes of Ashkelon amongst the daughters of the uncircumcised that under the Governement of so worthily renowned and famous a Prince the Churches of God haue been thus miserably wasted and such a woful havock made in them by vsurping time-serving Prelates as the like hath never been heard of in this land under the Gospell Oh that this should be either said or written in succeeding ages that in the raigne of Noble King Iames whose name shall liue amongst men when he having finished his course shall sleepe with his Fathers so many painefull Preachers of the Gospell even three hundred or there-aboutes haue in one yeere and a litle more been turned out of Christs service onely for refusing such Ceremonies as haue their life breath and being from Poperie and such a Subscription as the like for ought we know hath neuer been urged upon any Church of Christ in any age under a Christian Magistrate there being in the meane time whole swarmes of idle Idole scandalous Popish and Non-resident Ministers tolerated every where amongst us The Prelates haue left no meanes of rigour and extremitie vnassayed for the suppressing of this cause and for the discouraging and daunting of all those that either speake or write for it and yet the glorious evidence of the truth is such that it wanteth no witnesses there being at this day many hundreds of the most painefull profitable Preachers in this Kingdome besides those alreadie turned out which are readie to lose both their Ministery their Maintenance and to expose themselues theirs to all manner of misery rather then they will renounce this Cause and conforme themselues to the Corruptions of the times If therefore there be in the Prelates any loue of the truth or any sparke of desire of the peace and prosperitie of our Churches which is the thing that they so much pretend unto your Maiestie it will now appeare and shew it self and you shall easily discerne it by their indeavour to procure the admittance of this Offer which is the likeliest the readiest way that hitherto hath been thought upon both to finde out the truth and to put a perpetuall end to all these long-continued Controversies Some other thinges there be which we would willingly haue brought to this or the like Triall as namely the Oth ex officio which is a cruell a racking of the minde as the most exquisite Torture can be of the body and sundrie of the late Canons But because they be of another nature and we take them to be not onely contrary to the word of God but also directly against the lawes of the land we mention them not in our Propositions in which we haue endevoured to set downe onely the groundes of all the maine differences betwixt us the Prelats which if they be once throughly debated soundly agreed upon your Maiestie shall see such a blessed vnitie and vniformitie in all the Churches within your Dominions as your owne heart desireth May it therfore please your most excellent Maiestie to reade examine this Offer to weigh in all the partes therof the equitie iustice of it the most certaine advantage that the truth on which side soever it is shall receiue by the acceptance of it may it please you likewise to urge the Prelates whom it deepely concerneth to admitt of it and to secure by Royall protection those that shal be Actors in it who howsoever they are forced to conceale their names in regard of the rigor and severitie of the Prelates will notwithstanding be most willing readie to shew themselues if your Maiestie shall vouchsafe to signifie your gratious pleasure touching the admittance of this Conference If therefore we haue found favour in your Maiesties eyes and if this great cause of Christs be regarded Our humble suite vnto your Highnes is that you would make it knowne by some publike Act that the Offer shal be accepted and they protected by your Royall Authority that haue or shall haue to doe in it So shall we haue occasion every day more and more to intreat the Lord as we haue done and will doe for ever that he will continue vpon your Maiestie with a happy increase all his graces both bodily and spirituall even untill and in the day of Christ The Lord Iesus blesse your Maiestie and your Royall posteritie and graunt vnto you a long and a happie raigne over us the Lord multiplie all his mercyes upon you both for this and a better life and cover with shame the faces of all such as wish you the least evill Amen Your Majesties obedient Subjects most readie to doe your will in all thinges wherein they shall not disobey the will of God Some of the late silenced and deprived Ministers A CHRISTIAN AND MODEST OFFER OF A MOST INDIFFERENT CONFERENCE or disputation about the maine and principall Controversies betwixt the Prelats and the late sâ—â—nced and deprived Ministers in England TENDERED BY SOME OF THE SAID MINISTERS TO THE Archbishops and Bishops and all their adherents Wherein are set downe 1. The Propositions which the Ministers offer to maintaine against the Prelats 2. The Conditions forme and maner of the Conference or Disputation 3. Iust Considerations moving the Ministers to make this Offer 4. An Answer to such opposisions as may be made by the Prelats against yeeiding to the said Offer 1. THE PROPOSITIONS VVHICH THE MINISTERS OFfer to maintaine against the Prelats 1. ALL matters meerely
subject only to the authoritie and jurisdiction of the Civill Magistrate to whom at all times they are willing and readie to yeeld an account of all their actions and to humble themselues under their censures for any thing they shal be found to offend in Conforming themselues unto their willes in all things alwayes so farre as they may with a good conscience and where they cannot so doe submitting themselues to all such punishment as it shall please them to impose upon them 15. That if it seeme not good to his Majestie the state for reasons best knowne unto themselues to admit of so indifferent honest and reasonable a Conference yet it would please them to requyre the Prelats to publish a direct and full answer to such bookes as haue upon occasioÌ„ of the late stormes been published viz. The Abridgement set forth by the Ministers of Lincolne Diocese The Demands Considerations Reasons proving a necessitie of reforming our Churches in England The old Protestant and New formalist The Treatise of Divine worship The 12 Arguments The English Puritanisme and the Protestation c And that it may be lawfull for the Ministers modestly and directly to reply vnto the said Answers as also to any of the bookes which are lately or haue been heertofore written against them their cause and to publish the same in print with leaue of authority which they under take and binde themselues with all convenient speed faithfully and honestly to performe they protesting heere before Almightie God the searcher of all hearts and the just revenger of all hypocrisie that to their knowledge there hath as yet no material thing been writteÌ„ against them in these foresaid Propositions or any other Controversie betwixt them and the Prelats but they are able to giue a reasonable and just reply unto the same and that by those bookes which haue been published against them they haue been rather confirmed strengthened in the sayd opinions which they hold against the Prelats then any way satisfied or answered as shall appeare to all the world by Gods gracious assistance if they may haue permitted unto them that liber tie to publish their writings to the world which the Pre lats take unto themselues 16. That if this most reasonable and just course of composing these controversies be denyed them yet at least they may haue free leaue to publish and to offer to the censure of the whole world nakedly and playnly all those several Arguments Reasons which they haue thought upon for the confirmation of the former Propositions as also their direct Answers to all such Arguments on the contrary side as they shall finde publâ—shed in the writings of the Prelats and their adherents In all which they promise to keepe themselues closely directly to the poynts in controversy in so strict a forme that it shal be most easy for the Prelats to giue an answer unto them if so be they be in error in holding the said Propositions 3. Iust Considerations moving the Ministers to make this offer MAny of the Ministers having by reason of their Deposition from the publike Ministerie more cause occasion and leasure to studie these controversies then before doe find that the more they wade into them the more they are confirmed in that truth for which they suffer So that howsoever the intendment of the Prelats hath been by their rigorous extremitie of affliction to make them to force their consciences against conscience to yeeld that so they might rejoyce in their flesh and though the Lord hath surrered their rod to the further hardening of their hearts to ly so heavie upon some of his servants that they haue put forth their hand to injquitie yet othersome by this meanes are so far from shrinking from the profession of that truth which by their sufferings they haue honored that the more they haue sustayned for it the more by the mercy of God they see the glorious evidence of it And therefore in honor vnto that heavenly truth they can do no lesse then in the feare of God make this offer vnto the greatest enemyes therof 2. This cause which the ministers professe and witnes vnto by their constant sufferings being as they are perswaded in theire very soules and consciences a divine sacred truth and being notoriously reviled and blasphemed as a hellish error by the mouthes of the prelats their favourers one saying that he damned the discipline to Hell froÌ„ whence it came Vaghan his Conâ—orie in uses Powel de diap pref others publishing in print that Christ is not the Lawgiver of his Churh all generally calling our doctrine and opinion in this cause Schisme and Haeresie yea Treason and Rebellion they having receaued this grace from God not only to see the truth heerein but to seale and confirm it by their sufferings thinke it a most bounden duty that they owe vnto their Lord and master Iesus Christ whose Ministers and Servants they are by all good meanes to iustifie the same yea though they neither had suffered nor should suffer for it Much more now when as by the providence of God they haue in themselues their wiues and children sustained indured so heavy things for it And a more honest moderat Christian and religious defence or Apology they cannot yeld vnto it theÌ„ by making such an offer as this is to the avowed enemyes thereof 3. It is notorious vnto all the world what indignities sianders false accusations and calumniations ouer and besides the other Legall proceedings as they are pretended to be the Prelats and their adherents in their privat speeches publike sermons and writinges lay vpon those Ministers that hold maintaine this cause proclaiming theÌ„ to be Obstinat Refractarie persons Enemyes to the King State Notorious manifest Schismatikes Turbulent spirits Chaplin wel in 〈◊〉 Considetions Contemptuous and disdayning the Authoritie of their lawfull Gouernors presumptuous and wilfull Contenders with the Magistrat Impugning his authority in thinges indifferent and Soueraigntie in Ecclesiasticall cause False Prophets Members rent and cut of from the Church of God Runawayes from their Ministery some standing vpon these points of difference not for conscience but for carnall respects som because otherwise they knowe not how to be maintayned but by depending on that faction som to gratify their benefactors patrons and to please their friends som for discontentment and want of preferment som for giddines of innovation som for pride of hart and selfeloue som for hatred of order and restraint of their libertie som for ignorance yet willfull because they will not knowe the state of the question some to retaine the opinion of constancy c. Now it being the duty of every Christian even for Christs sake and the Gospells which he doth professe to cleere his innocencie against such false and impious slanders much more is it fit for the Ministers of the Gospell being thus wickedly traduced so to do And therefore they